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At the Olympics, Mike Pence’s Missed Opportunity

Kim Yo-jong, center, sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and Vice President Mike Pence, right, at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Friday.Credit
Doug Mills/The New York Times

What a pity that our nation spurns a potential opportunity for dialogue about Korea at such a joyful gathering as the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Thankfully, we have a spirited team of wonderful athletes there to show the world — and especially the two Koreas — who Americans can really be, even while Vice President Mike Pence can only stoop to finger-wagging, symbolic and otherwise.

Meanwhile, the two Koreas themselves seem to be flirting, tentatively at least, with what could become more overt overtures to peace. It is too early to foretell what might happen, of course; the arc of history does not bend toward peace on the Korean Peninsula. But the tentative steps taken by the two Koreas are much more positive developments than is the sour bellicosity of the Trump administration.

At the moment, at least, there is a small glimmer of hope for peace between the Koreas, while there is none while Mr. Trump elects to inject his bellicosity into the problem.

Admittedly, international diplomacy is highly complex. However, it seems that a great opportunity was missed when Vice President Mike Pence failed to acknowledge and shake hands with Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un.

Had he turned around, proffered his hand and simply said, “I hope our countries can resolve our differences,” it would have been seen as an appropriate, sophisticated and gentlemanly gesture.

And, yes, I realize the potential for misuse of a photo of such an exchange for propaganda purposes exists. But that possibility pales in relation to the immense value of an American official making a diplomatic and mannerly overture to a rival.